Oshkosh. You gotta’ be there!

On By The Flying DutchmanIn Aviation, TravelLeave a comment

Well where does the time go? I had intended to document every day of my visit to Oshkosh but that just never happened. We were either too busy or just plain too whooped to do anything when we got back. So now I’ll just give you a run down of this my 3rd and best trip to OSH yet.

Two things made my trip to Oshkosh this time around much more fun; one, I went with my buddies from our local EAA Chapter 90, and two, Skype. More on Skype later.

The trip to Oshkosh was a long one. We first drove from Modesto to San Jose. This was made more bearable by my not having to drive and sharing a car with 3 other guys who love airplanes and talking about aviation. The traveling buddies were Brian Braun, Keith Braun, Kevin Haslebacher, and myself. (Many thanks go to Brian Braun for driving us to and from all airports on our journey.) The first leg of our trip took us from San Jose to Salt Lake City where we had about a 4 hour layover. Again this was made bearable by having your buddies around. After the layover the second leg of the flight took us to Milwaukee. The first thing we did was to pick up the rental car. The friendly and courteous agent informed us that we were late, and after not being helpful assigned our mini-van. After a brief 45 minute search and going back to ask the friendly agent where the van was, the van was finally located and we were on the road to Oshkosh. But what the hey, you’re with your airplane buddies.

We finally arrived at the rental house at around 2am. Ah, home at last. Kevin BenZiger who arranged the rental house warned us ahead of time that the house may not be that clean. Well, he was right. When I got into my bedroom I pulled back the comforter to find… cat fur. So I pulled back the top sheet to find… cat fur. Okay, kitty fur is soft and fun to pet but I don’t want to sleep in it. Luckily I found a blanket and was able to sleep on top of the comforter where at least I couldn’t see the fur. But what they hey, you’re with your airplane buddies. All of Chapter 90’s Oshkosh contingent were finally together; Ken Scott, Kevin BenZiger, Kevin Haslebacher, Keith Braun, Brian Braun, and Scott VanArtsdalen.
When we finally got to the show on Tuesday morning, all was forgotten and all we could think about is the magic that lay before us. All airplane, all day. We spent part of the first day just walking the flight line looking at all the Van’s RV aircraft that were parked there. The number of RVs in attendance every year grows. There was even a 35 ship formation of Van’s RVs doing flyovers. 35 RVs flying together sound pretty spectacular. We checked out paint jobs, got some great building ideas, and just generally enjoyed seeing the variety of aircraft there. One of the star RVs in attendance was Trey Johnson’s amphibious RV-7. The workmanship was excellent and was somewhat reminiscent of the Schneider Cup racers of yesteryear.

Next we visited some of the kit aircraft and engine manufacturers. I can’t begin to remember all the booths we stopped at but among them were Eggenfelner, Van’s, Zenith, and Sonex. We also looked at several automotive and diesel conversions.

Then it was off to the exhibit halls. I’m not even going to try to name every vendor and manufacturer we saw. Just think of one and they had a booth there. One of the highlights of the show for me was the Vertical Power booth. Vertical Power is doing for electrical systems what the EFIS did for flight instruments. Their flagship product is something they have nicknamed the digital copilot. It’s basically an electrical system in a box that is wired to a computer. There are only three switches to the whole system. You punch in a security code and the computer starts your engine for you. Flaps are deployed, boost pump is turned on, lights come on all automatically at just the right times. A lot of people ask why you would want to do that but a lot of people ask why anyone would want to use an EFIS and those are becoming very popular. In fact anyone and everyone is coming out with an EFIS. Up and coming are the Czechs who had two separate companies displaying their avionics.

Another highlight of the exhibit halls for me was to meet an old internet friend who use to work for Control Vision on their Anywhere Map product and has since started working for Dynon. He told me some of the things you can expect to see from Dynon in the near future; a moving map and an auto pilot for starters.

Even though we were all pretty tired by the end of the first day I had arranged to meet some friends of mine ( http://www.rivetbangers.com ) for dinner. The rest of the Chapter 90 contingent (dubbed the 209 Posse) agreed to come along. As testament to what a wonderful hobby we engage in even though our Chapter 90 gang didn’t know anyone there, within minutes all were talking to complete strangers about homebuilt aircraft. The restaurant was called The Black Otter Dining Club and their specialty is prime rib. I ordered the little girly cut called the Queen Cut. It was a mere 32 oz of DELICIOUS prime rib. They also have what they call the King Cut which is 160 oz, yes that’s 10 pounds of prime rib. Two people have finished one and gotten their dinners for free. The staff would not tell me where those two people are buried. We then returned to our rental house tired, fed, and happy. And that was just the first day.

To write all the things we did each day would take a couple hours to read so I’ll just hit some of the highlights. Cessna previewed their new light sport aircraft called the 162 Sky Catcher. I’ve heard it called everything from Sky Chicken to Sky Scratcher. Call it what you want it was a slick little bird with an all glass panel designed exclusively for Cessna by Garmin and even had two cup holders. Long overdue Cessna. They were taking $5000 deposits and had a board showing the running total; close to 600 by the time we left Osh on Friday. This was making the other LSA manufacturers feel very good. When Cessna steps in you know there is money to be made. There were also a couple of very light jets which held the attention of several members of Chapter 90. Sonex announced their battery powered prototype airplane.

Also worth noting was the barbecue we attended on Wednesday evening. It is put on by Bob Collins who puts out a weekly RV newsletter and host a Yahoo group dedicated to RV-7 builders and entusiasts. It was a veritable who’s who in the world of Van’s RV. The only notable absence was Van’s Aircraft but I have a feeling that will change next year. Bob put on a GREAT spread for only $10 a head. Even the short downpour didn’t dampen anyone’s spirits. Bob had some great door prizes to give away including t-shirts, hats, and some even better stuff including a free e-mag or p-mag, $5000 off on a Superior engine, and even a free empenage kit from Van’s Aircraft. Chapter 90 even had a winner when Kevin won an Angle of Attack display from Advanced Flight Systems worth $800. Again, we didn’t know most of the people there but you could start up a conversation with anyone simply by saying, “So, whatcha’ building?” Bob Collins has a winner in this BBQ and I can’t wait to attend it again.

That was two of the things that really made this Oshkosh one of the best I’ve ever attended. Having my friends with me, meeting friends I have made on the Internet and never met in person, was a fun experience. Skype also made the convention more fun for me. Skype is a software program that you can run on any PC and use like a telephone. If you have a video camera built into your PC then you can have video calls. This is exactly what I did each evening. It was easier being far away from my family if I could see them in full video on my computer every evening. Nothing like watching your kids make silly faces for 20 minutes or so. The best part about Skype is that it is completely free.

There were a few downsides to Oshkosh this year. One was that Kevin BenZiger was sick the whole time. Many thanks go to Kevin B for arranging our housing this year. Cats and all, thanks for setting that up for us Kevin and a BIG thank you from me personally. Also the landing accident between two P-51’s on Friday afternoon which left one man dead. You hate to hear about anyone getting hurt in aviation and when they take a historically significant aircraft with them it’s a double loss.

Happily for us we all made it back safe and sound to Oakdale each with his fill of Oshkosh for the year. I was pretty much done with Oshkosh and not eager to go back. I have a feeling though that next July I’ll be wishing I could go again. If you’ve never been to AirVenture please try to attend it just once. It does get tiring after several days but while you’re there it is just magical. Oshkosh: You gotta’ be there!

On the ground at Oshkosh

On By The Flying DutchmanIn Aviation, TravelLeave a comment

Just spent my first full day at Oshkosh. My feet are killing me, my sinuses are killing me, but I’m happy, what a fun day. My friends and I spent the day browsing the aircraft vendors, checking out new products and technologies, and the different airplanes on the flight line. That actually took ALL day there was so much to see. Some of my favorite technologies were:

Possibly one of the biggest news items of the week so far is Cessna’s new LSA offering the Cessna 162 Sky Catcher: Cessna Sky Catcher website

This will be a plane to watch. It will signal whether or not the LSA market will be viable or not. Cessna joining the LSA fray has emboldened other LSA manufacturers and is actually a welcome development to them.

Tomorrow promises to be a more laid back day. We’re going to casually walk the flight line and just check out all the airplanes.

RV-7 Empenage is finished

On By The Flying DutchmanIn RV-7Leave a comment

Well, after several months of on again off again construction I have finally completed the empenage of the RV-7. The empenage is more popularly known as the tail. This is made up of the vertical stabilizer, the rudder, the horizontal stabilizer, and the elevators. There is still some minor fiberglass work to be done but it can and should probably wait until the empenage is mounted to the fuselage. I will be ordering the wings when I travel to Oshkosh next month.

IMG_2128.JPG

Wednesday afternoon in downtown Modesto

On By The Flying DutchmanIn OpinionLeave a comment

I can’t believe where technology has gone in the past few years. For instance, I’m sitting in Picasso’s, a downtown Modesto cafe, and just finished a delicious sandwich. I’m listening to a guitar player strumming from the corner of the room, the lawyers and administrative clerks are hurrying by on the sidewalk trying to get back to work before lunch is over. I’m connected and online and able to update this website from this cafe. This is something I could have only imagined just a few years ago.

I’m just as amazed where God has taken me in the past few years. He tests my faith on almost a daily basis with my new job. I go into the week thinking I’m swamped, not knowing how I’m going to handle the problems I face; staffing shortages, unhappy customers, knowledge and memory shortages (on my part). The more I try to handle it the deeper I feel I’m sinking. Then I remember to pray about my problems, not really to ask God to “fix” my problems, but just to place myself in His hands. I just consciously stop worrying about the problems and subconsciously leave them in God’s hands. What a difference. I feel more content, more joyful and many of the problems seem to resolve themselves. I guess one could make the argument that they were never my problems in the first place. I think they were; I just think God uses these problems to cement my faith.

These days, I find myself more joyful than I used to be even when things do go my way. I find myself trying to ignore the pretty girls with skimpy dresses on the sidewalk rather than indulging my eyes. I find myself trying to deal with everyone as if they are my brother. I am always successful? Absolutely not. Still, it’s something that I could only have imagined a few years ago.

Yes… it’s amazing how far things have come.

( Thank you Cristy for praying for me without ceasing )

What have YOU done for the Lord?

On By The Flying DutchmanIn FaithLeave a comment

Many have read John Piper’s Desiring God. I’m actually reading another of Piper’s books which is really a flip side to the coin.  It’s entitled, When I Don’t Desire God.  I selected this book because firstly my wife wanted to do a book study with me, and secondly because many times I find I don’t deisre God or doing the things that pleases God.  Don’t get me wrong I try my best to do the things that God finds pleasing, but I don’t always feel a driving desire to do them.

Piper explains that this is something we must fight for.  We must pray fervently to God and plead with Him to instill in us the desire for Him.  Piper makes some seemingly contradictory assertions; he says that we are ordered to “Rejoice in the Lord” yet we cannot rejoice in the Lord because we are by nature sinful people.  That in fact we cannot rejoice in the Lord unless God bestows upon us the gift of rejoicing in the Lord.  And further that we are not less guilty of breaking the commandment to rejoice in the Lord because of this fact, bat all the more guilty because of this fact.  Piper points out that our prayers should take on urgency because of this.  We should be even more grateful because of the gifts God gives us.

We should be thankful to God not just for life, not just for salvation, not just for Christ, but for the very belief that we have, for the joy that we feel, for everything that we have, that we do, that we are is a gift from God.

Hombres Santos de los Cielos

On By The Flying DutchmanIn Aviation, FaithLeave a comment

God has been very good to me indeed. He has blessed me far more than what I deserve. One of His MANY blessings has been the gift of flight. Through flying I have come to appreciate God’s landscapes, His weather, the laws of nature God set forth such as… gravity. I’ve had many suprises crop up in my flying avocation but none have been so surprising as the trend I am beginning to notice among my fellow aviators.

When I first started flying about 15 years ago most of the pilots I met were hard core ex-military types. They were good men, fiercely self-reliant, and had not place for religion in their lives. But now I’m running into more and more Godly aviators. The men I’m beginning to find both on the Internet in various places such as bulletin boards, and at my local field aren’t just the casual run of the mill Christian. Many of them are men who truly immerse themselves in God’s word.

It has truly been heartening to find them.  Where once I was a lone voice in the groups I was in, there are now other voices for Christ.  What’s truly wonderful is that these are young men. On the same Internet groups were I was once derided for having scripture references in my email signature I am not seeing men openly discuss missions and trying to find ways to dedicate their flying to God.  Maybe it’s just God opening my eyes since my true heart change.  Whatever is bringing these men out of the woodwork, I am glad to see them, glad to share the air with them.

Praise God for His wonderful works!

Sacramento, CA (KSAC)

On By The Flying DutchmanIn Aviation, RV-4, TravelLeave a comment

This past Friday I found myself needing to attend a meeting in the morning in Sacramento, Ca and another in the afternoon in Turlock, Ca. The two cities are about an hour and a half apart. Coming back from Sacramento in the afternoon wouldn’t be so bad but driving up their in the morning would involve sitting in traffic. Not one of my favorite passtimes.

So I called up my counter-part up in Sacramento and asked him if he’d pick me up at Sacramento Executive (KSAC). Being a lapsed private pilot and looking for any excuse to go to the airport he readily agreed.

Friday morning came and I pulled my trusty RV-4 out of the hangar and preflighted. It was a little chilly but I didn’t bother bringing a jacket because by the time afternoon came I knew I’d be sweating. I put KSAC into the GPS and pointed the RV northwest. 20 minutes later I was on downwind at SAC. I touched down and taxied to what I hoped was transient parking. My partner in crime was waiting in the terminal just as promised and we headed off to the morning meeting.

Four hours later we had accomplished our mission (working with HP to figure out how to redistribute our OSPF routes into BGP… fascinating, I know) and had finished lunch. My buddy dropped me off at the airport again stating that he needed to get back into the air. I took a leisurely stroll out the the RV. It was right where I left it with no parking tickets or anything so I guess I really was in transient parking. That or it was too hot for the airport meter maid to walk out there.

Ten minutes later I was climbing out of SAC at 1700 fpm and hit the one and only glitch of the whole trip. I received the following radio transmission: “1SV, sir, do you have a transponder on that thing?” Thing? THING? Bud not even that BizJet that just left can climb out of your airspace while still over the runway! My reply: “Um.. YES I do, my apologies.” I switched on my transponder just as I climbed out of his airspace.

Twenty minutes later I was on final at Oakdale (O27). I made a great landing with no one there to see it and taxied back to the hangar. I was getting my laptop out of the back seat when my phone rang. It was my co-deacon at church. His message was that the afternoon meeting at church had been cancelled, no need to rush. Cool. I put the airplane to bed and headed home feeling far more relaxed than I would have if I had driven.

Did I save any time? Not really. I could have driven there in about the same time. Did I save any frustration. Yep. Did I have a whole lot more fun? You bet!

Finding joy

On By The Flying DutchmanIn FaithLeave a comment

I haven’t been here in a while. It’s nice to be back. I feel like I’ve come home finally after a long time away. Even still, I’m not fully home, but I’m looking forward to being fully home. I haven’t physically been anywhere. I’ve been mired with work in public and private matters. Work has taken much of my waking attention and private matters have taken most of what’s left. In all the work that I was doing I was rapidly losing much of the joy in my life. There have been many demands placed on me lately and felt no joy in trying to meet all those demands. I was getting tired of serving God as well. Finally, after one tearful prayer session, I felt the weight lift from me.

What I realized after that was that I was getting so mired in trying to please everyone that I was losing track of who I should be trying to please. So right now I’m trying to realign my focus on pleasing God and finding that the joy in life is returning. I don’t always desire to please Him the way I should so that is my new focus. When I come to the place where pleasing God is my complete and entire goal, I’ll be completely at home.  That’s were I’ll find complete joy.
Mrs. Flying Dutchman and I have started a book study together. We’re going through When I Don’t Desire God by John Piper. We’ll keep you posted on our progress through the book.

Those bittersweet moments in life

On By The Flying DutchmanIn FaithLeave a comment

This past Saturday I got to experience one of those bittersweet moments in a man’s life; I gave my son his first razor and taught him to shave.  There wasn’t much to shave off but it was there and needed to be done.  I couldn’t help but think how fast this life really is.  It seems almost like yesterday that he was dancing his “Daddy’s home” dance and wanting to be picked up.  Now his feet are bigger than mine and he’s shaving.  Time is passing and won’t wait for my family.

It’s such a blessing to know that even though this life should pass in the blink of an eye, the next life will last forever and I’ll never have to worry about my friends or family growing up and leaving.  Praise God for His kindness and mercy!

shave1.JPG

 

IMG_1936a.JPG

 

One of those weeks

On By The Flying DutchmanIn Faith, OpinionLeave a comment

Did you ever have one of those weeks?  I’m sure you have.  We all have and I had another one this week.  A virus outbreak kept me at work late at night for most of the week.  I’ve barely seen my family.  We finally brought the virus under control on Saturday morning.  It was a tremendous relief.  However, by that time I had reached the end of my stress rope.  There were other issues at work that were already weighing on me so I just needed a break from everything.  Even going to church on Sunday morning didn’t relax me as it usually does.  I was short-tempered, emotionally weak, and just flat out tired.  Church didn’t feel refreshing to me this week, it felt oppressing.  My normal duties at church weighed on me like a load of cement.  If our Lord is trying to take me out of my comfort zone, it’s working.  I can’t even see the “comfort zone limits” sign from where I’m standing.

It felt so good to come home and spend a quiet afternoon with my family.  After lunch we rested and talked.  Later in the afternoon I went to work in the garage on my RV-7 and watched my daughter whiz up and down the sidewalk on her bicycle.  I finished another major subassembly of the RV-7; the rudder.  My wife doesn’t get it, she says she would nervous and frustrated trying to build an airplane.  To me it’s relaxing.  I guess we all have different ways of blowing off steam.

Here is a much more relaxed looking Flying Dutchman after hanging the rudder on the vertical stabilizer.

 

rudder1a.JPG